Railway track switch controlling apparatus



Jan. 7, 1936. H. s. YOUNG RAILWAY TRACK SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed March 21, 1955 Fig. 1

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0.429 JC 50 n I) 0 55 INVENTOR Henry S. Young dam ' H is ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 7, 1936 m s STATES iSATENT me Application March 21, 1935, Serial No. 12,135

My invention-relates to railway track switch controlling apparatus, and particularly to" appa ratus' o'f-the type irl volving switch operating mechanism controlled by"a' manually operable lever or other suitable device'subjecfltogiven traffic-conditions, and is an improvement upon that disclosed in a copending application, Serial No; 11,130,"filed March 14, 1935, by Earl Allen and Henry" S. Young, for Railway trafliccon- I"will describe four forms of apparatus em-- bodying my invention, -andwill then point out thenovel featuresthereof in'claims. 1

Inthe accompanying drawing-,[Figr 1 is a diagrammatic vie'w's'howing one'formpfapparatus embodying my invention. Fig.2 shows a. modification ofa part of the appara'tusofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View of a modified form ofthe apparatus shown in Fig. 1, also embodying.

my invention. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic vievsrof a modified form of the apparatus-shown in Fig. 3,

and also embodying my invention- Similar reference characters refer to similar par-ts in each of the views.

Referring first to Fig; 1, the reference char-- acters land I designate the track rails of astretch of railway track Y which is divided by insulated joints 2 into sections BC and C 43;

Each of these sections is provided with a track circuit, as shown for section C D, compri-sing a battery; designated by the reference character 3,

connected across the rails adiaoent'one end of the sectiomand a relay; designated by the reference characte'r T, connected across the rails adjacent the opposite end of the section.

Located in section C-D is a switch H for con necting track Y with a'second track- Z. Switch Hmay be operated by any suitable mechanism such, for example; as a fluid pressure mechanisin M comprising a normal control magnet nn and a reverse control magnet r1. 7

At" point C, signals S and S are shown'for controlling eastbound traffic movements, that is, trafiic movements from left to right, as shown in the drawing, over switch H in its normal and reverse positions, respectively. n 1

Normal-and reverse'control m'agnetsnnancl r1 of -switch mechanism M are controlled by' a polarizedrrelay designated by the reference character m.

1, C ims-- 46-2 T.

Relaym is so constructed that its neutral contacts are slow in releasing when its controlcircuitf is opened. On account of this characteristimthe front contacts of relay'm will notoperr during the interval between the opening of itspick up 5 circuits atthe' front points of contacts 9 and IQ of astick locking relay R and theclosing of stick circuits for relay 11;. through the backpoints'of contacts 9 and I0 of relay R. Relaly'mis controlled by a manually operableleverk, and bya 0 manuallyoperable latch b associated with lever 70, as well as byrelayR. f; f Relay R is controlled by track relay T. 'by'an approach orstick lockingrelay P, andby latch b; The pick up circuit for relay R is closed for only; 15 a brief period of time, and therefore, in order to; insure that relay R closes its front contacts dur ing this brief period, the pick-up circuit'for may R is supplied with current or relatively large magnitude in order to cause rel'ayR to pick upl quickly. In order to reduce theholding current from'this large magnitude to a magnitude sufiicie'nt for retaining the front contacts of relay R closed, a resistor 6 is included in the stick circuit for relay R. 1 25 Relay P may be controlled in any "suitable manner such; for example, as shown, for relay L" in a'Patent No. 1,956,851, which was granted May 1, 1934, to C. A! Brooks and J. M. Pe1ikan,'for Railway traflic controlling apparatus. The man- 30 ner in" which relay P is controlled prevents a leverman from changing the position of switch H until a measured period of time haselapsed aftersignal S or signals has been caused to 1 indicate stop, if an eastbound train has entered 35 section B--C whileone of the signals S is indicating caution or proceedfi" t Lever 'k hasa'normal position 11' and 'a reverse position r; Lever- It operates a pair of pole-j changing contacts 8 and II which, when'lever I04 isin its normal position, cause relay "m to be energized "by current of normal polarity, and when lever his in its reverse position; cause relay" m to be energized by current of reverse polarity.

Manually operable latch b, as here indicated; is 45 connected with lever is at a point IS. The right hand endof latch b, as shown in the drawing, is held against a'contact arm [4 by acoil spring l6; one end of which is attached tdlatch I) and. the other end of which is attached to a member which is fixed-i11 its relation to latch b. 'Arm Itin 'this'position connects with a contact spring l2. "Contact arm I4 is inherently biased toward? a second contact spring l3,and hence when the" left-hand end of latch b is manually depressed, 5i

the right-hand end of this latch permits contact arm lto leave contact spring l2 and engage contact spring l3.

Fig. 2 shows a modification of lever k, from which latch b is omitted, and which is so arranged that the contact arm I 4 is inherently biased toward contact spring [3, as in Fig. 1, but is forced against contact spring I2 and away from contact spring l3 by lever is when lever 70 is at rest in its normal position n. or its reverse position 1'. erate pole-changing contacts 8 and II, lever It must be removed from engagement with contact arm l4, thus permitting contact arm to leave spring 12 and connect with spring l3. Lever is, when thus disengaged from contact arm I4,

brings its members 24 and 25 into position to operate pole-changing contacts II and 8, respectively, when lever la is moved between its normal and reverse positions n and 1.

In Fig. 3, lever k: is shown equipped with only thepole-changing contacts 8 and II which here control a polarized lever repeater relay L. Relay R is controlled, in part, by a back contact 29 of relay L instead of by the latch contact l3-l4 of Fig. 1 or lever contact I3-l4 of Fig. 2. Relay 1 m in Fig. 3 is controlled, in part, by neutral and element 34 and a local element 35 is used instead of the single-element relay L of Fig. 3. When relay L of Fig. 4 is energized by current of one given relative instantaneous polarity, its contacts .36, 3B, and G8 are closed as shown in the drawing, and its contacts 31, 39, and ll are open.

When relay L is energized by current of the opposite relative instantaneous polarity, its contacts 3T, 39, and M are closed, and contacts 36, 38, and 48- are open. As here used, relay R is of a quick-acting type having one front contact, and hence, in order to obtain more contacts for the control of relay m, a second relay 2: is controlled by the one contact of relay R.

Having described, in general, the arrangement and operation of the various parts of four forms of apparatus shown in the accompanying drawing, I will now describe in detail the operation of these various forms of apparatus.

As shown in the drawing, all parts of'the apparatus are in the normal condition, that is,

ing, through contact 4 of relay P, contact 5 of relay T, winding of relay R, resistor 6, and contact l of relay R to terminal 0 of the same source of current. With lever 7c and latch b in their j normal positions and with relay R energized, re-

lay m is energized by current of normal polarity passing from terminal at, through contact 8' of lever 1c in its normal position, front pointof contact 9 of relay R, winding of relayrm, front point of contact 18 of relay R, contact I! of lever 70 in its normal position, and contact l2--l i of latch b to terminal 0. With relay m energized by current of normal polarity, normal control magnet mt or" switch mechanism M is energized by a cir- In order to be put into a position to op-' cuit passing from terminal a, through contact 2| of relay 'm, contact 22 of relay m in its normal position, and magnet 1m of mechanism M to terminal 0.

I will assume that, with all parts of the apparatus thus in their normal condition, the leverman desires to reverse switch H. He will therefore depress latch b, thus permitting latch contact l2l4 to open, and closing latch contact |3I4. Contact I3I4, upon becoming closed, completes a pickup circuit which is the same as the stick circuit previously traced for relay R as far as the winding of relay R, and thence passes through contact l3l4 of latch b to terminal 0.

When lever it reaches its reverse position 1', its pole-changing contacts 8 and II will be closed in their reverse positions, latch contact I3ll will open, and latch contact l2|4 will close, thereby completing a reverse energizing circuit for relay m, which is the same as the normal energizing circuit previously traced, except including contacts 8 and H of lever 7c in their reverse positions instead of in their normal positions. Relay m, upon becoming energized by current of. reverse polarity, reverses its polar contacts I8, 20, and 22.

Contact 22, upon being reversed, opens the circuit previously traced for magnet 1m, and completes a circuit for energizing reverse magnet T1, this circuit passing from terminal .73, through contact 2| of relay m, contact 22 of relay m in its reverse position, and the winding of magnet rr to terminal 0. Magnet rr, upon becoming energized, causes mechanism M to move switch H to its reverse position.

When the leverman desires to again return switch H to its normal position, he will depress latch b, thereby again completing the pick-up circuit previously described for relay R, and will move lever is back to its normal position n in which contacts 8 and II will again be closed in their normal position, and in which latch contact l3-M will open and latch contact l2-l4 will close and again complete the normal energizing circuit previously traced for relay m. With relay m again energized by current of normal polarity, normal control magnet 1m will be energized, causing mechanism M to return switch H to its normal position.

I will next assume that, with all parts of the apparatus again in their normal condition, the leverman clears signal S for a train to move over switch H in its normal position. By clearing signal S the leverman will deenergize relay P, thus causing relay R to be deenergized. On account of relay m being slow in releasing its front contacts, these contacts will remain closed during the interval between the opening of contacts 9 and ID of relay R at their front points and the closing of these contacts at their back points, when a stick circuit will be completed for relay m, passing from terminal 0:, through contact l8 of relay m in its normal position, back point of contact 9 of relay R, winding of relay m, back point of cotact ll] of relay R, contact IQ of relay m, and contact 28 of relay m in its normal position, to terminal 0.

When a train passes signal S relay T will become deenergized, thus opening the circuit for relay R at contact 5, in addition to the opening already made in this circuit at contact 4 of relay P.

If now while relay P or relay T is deenergized, the leverman returns the signal control apparatus to the condition for causing signal S to indicate stop, and .if he then operates latch 17 and moves lever Is to its r position, the pick-up circuit for relay R will not be closed, on account of contact 4 of relay P or contact 5 of relay T being .open.

I will further assume that the leverman does not at this time return lever is to its normal position and that the train proceeds on through sections 3-0 and 0-D, permitting relays P and T to again be energized. With the lever latch b in its normal position, the pick-up circuit for relay R will not be closed, and hence relay m will continue energized by the normal stick circuit previously traced, and therefore switch H will not be operated to its reverse position, although lever is is in its reverse positionr.

In order-to close the pick-up circuit previously described for relay R, the leverman must now depress latch b. With relay R thus energized, the leverman may again release latch 2), thereby completing the reverse energizing circuit previously described for relay m, which will cause mechanism M to move switch H to its reverse position.

The operation of the second form of apparatus embodying my invention issimilar to that of the first form except that, instead of depressing latch b to close the pick-up circuit for relay R, the leverman must remove lever is from engagement with contact arm l4 shown in Fig. 2. I will assume, for example, that the leverman has cleared signal 'S, and that a train has then moved through sections B-C and CD, leaving relay R deenergized. I will further assume that the leverman then returns the signal control apparatus to the condition for causing signal S to indicate stop, and that he then desires to reverse switch H. He will therefore move lever 7c from engagement with contact arm 14, shown in Fig. 2, and will bring lever 70 to the position in which members 24 and 25 of lever is will engage contacts II and 8, respectively. With lever contact l3 --l4'of Fig. 2, closed, the

pick-up circuit previously described for relay R will "be completed. With members 24 and 25 of lever 7c engaging contacts H and 8, respectively, the leverman will move lever is to its reverse position, thereby reversing contacts 8 and H,

3 and thus causing relay m to be energized by current of reverse polarity, which will in turn cause switch H to be moved to the reverse position as described for the operation of the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 3, relay L is energized in the normal direction by a circuit passing from terminal :0, through contact 8 of lever is in its normal position, winding of relay L, and contact H of lever lc in its normal position to terminal 0. Relay R is energized by its stick circuit pre viously traced in connection with Fig. 1. With relay L energized by current of normal polarity, and with relay R energized, relay m is energized in the normal direction by a circuit passing from terminal as, through contact of relay L, conman, .in order to reverse switch H, moves lever is, of the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 3, to the reverse position. If this movement of the lever is slow enough, the deenergization of relay L will cause back contact 29 of relay L to close before lever it reaches its 1* position. If, however, contact 29 does not close before lever it reaches its r position, the reversal of polarity of the current supplied to relay L when lever lc reaches its 1- position will cause contact 29 to close .momentarily.

With contact 29 of relay L closed in either manner, a pick-up circuit will be completed for relay'R, which is the same as the pick-up cir cuit described for Fig. 1, as far as the winding of relay R, and thence passes through contact 29 of relay L to terminal 0. Relay R will then be retained in the energized condition by its stick circuit previously traced for Fig. 1.

Relay L, upon becoming energized by current of reverse polarity on account of lever It being moved to its 1' position, will shift its polar contacts 3| and 32 to their reverse positions, and will then close its front contacts 36 and 33, thereby. completing a reverse energizing circuit for relay m which is the same as the normal energizing circuit previously traced for relay m, except that it includes contacts 3| and 32 of relay L in their reverse positions instead of in their normal position. With relay m thus energized by current of reverse polarity, mechanism M will move switch H to its reverse position.

As shown in Fig. 4, line element 34 of relay L is energized by current of normal instantaneous relative polarity through a circuit passing from terminal BX of a suitable source of alternating current not shown in the drawing, through contact 8 of lever in in its normal position, line element 34 of relay L, and contact ll of lever k in its normal position to terminal CX of the same source of alternating current. Local element 35 of relay L is constantly energized from the same source of alternating current. Relay R is energized by its stick circuit which is the same as the stick circuit previously traced in connection with Fig. 1. With relay R energized, relay 1) is also energized by a circuit passing from terminal 11:, through contact 4 of relay P, contact 5 of relay T, winding of relay 1;, and contact 1 of relay R to terminal 0. With relays L and "a energized as just described, relay m is energized in the normal direction by a circuit passing from terminal :12, through contact 38 of relay L, front point of contact 9 of relay 1), winding of relay m, front point of contact I 5 of relay '0, and contact 40 of relay L to terminal 0-.

For an example of the operation of the appara: tus shown in Fig. 4, I will assume that relays R and v are deenergized on account of relays P and T having been deenergized, but that relays P and T are now again energized. I will further assume that the leverman now moves lever It to its 1' position to reverse switch H. Contact 31 of relay L will be closed for a very brief period before contact 35 of relay L opens clue to the reversal of lever 70, but relay R, being very quick acting, will close its contact 1 during this brief period in which relay R will be energized by a pick-up circuit which is the same 'as the pick-up circuit previously described for relay R of Fig. 1, as far as the winding of relay R, and thence passes through contacts 36 and 31 of relay L to terminal o. Relay R, upon closing its contact I, completes the circuit previously traced for relay v which then becomes energized. With relay 1; now energized,

and with relay L energized by current of reverse instantaneous relative polarity, a reverse energizing circuit will be completed for relay m, passing from terminal .73, through contact 39 of relay L, front point of contact ill of relay 0, winding of relay m, front point of contact 9 of relay 2), and contact i l of relay L to terminal 0. With relay. m thus energized by current of reverse polarity, mechanism M will move switch H to its reverse position.

From the foregoing descriptions and the accompanying drawing, it follows that apparatus embodying my invention includes a stick relay which is so controlled that, in order for a switch to be operated, the leverman must take some action, either with the switch lever or with an auxiliary contact device, at a time when tralfic conditions are suitable for operation of the switch. Any action taken by the leverman while traffic conditions are unsuitable for operation of the switch will be ineffective to cause operation of the switch when the traflic conditions have again become suitable for operation of the switch.

Although I have herein shown and described only four forms of railway track switch controlling apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a stretch of railway track including a switch, a manually operable switch lever having a normal and a reverse position and having a normal and. a reverse contact closed only when said lever is in said normal and reverse positions respectively, a third contact associated with said lever and which is normally open but which is arranged to be closed if said lever is moved between its normal and reverse positions, a stick relay, a pick-up circuit for said stick relay controlled by traffic conditions in said stretch and including said third contact for supplying said stick relay with sufficient current to cause said stick relay to close its front contacts quickly, a resistor, a stick circuit for said stick relay controlled by said traflic conditions independently of said third contact and including said resistor for reducing the magnitude of the current in said stick circuit to a suitable value, and means controlledby said normal and reverse contacts for operating said switch to its normal and reverse positions if and only if a front contact of said stick relay is closed.

2. In combination, a stretch of railway track including a switch, a manually operable switch lever having a normal and a reverse position, a stick relay, a pick-up circuit for said stick relay controlled by traffic conditions in said stretch and which is normally open when said lever is in either the normal or the reverse position but which becomes closed if said lever is moved between its normal and reverse positions while said trafiic conditions are suitable for said switch to be operated from one of its extreme positions to the other, a resistor, a stick circuit for said stick relay controlled by said trafiic conditions independently of said lever and including said resistor for reducing the magnitude of the current in said stick circuit to a value suitable for retaining a front contact of said relay closed, and means controlled by said lever in its normal and reverse positions for operating said switch to its normal and reverse positions if and only if a front contact of said stick relay is closed.

3. In combination, a stretch of railway-track including a switch, a manually operable switch lever having a normal and a reverse position, a manually operable contact which is normally open but which is manually closed when said lever is conditioned to be operated between said normal and reverse positions, a stick relay, a pick-up circuit for said stick relay controlled by said manually operable contact and by traffic conditions in said stretch, a stick circuit for said stick relay controlled by traffic conditions in said stretch independently of said manually operable contact, and means controlled by said lever inits normal and reverse positions for operating said switch to its normal and reverse positions if and only if a front contact of said stick relay is closed and said manually operable contact is in its normal position.

4. In combination, a stretch of railway track including a switch, a manually operable switch lever having a normal and a reverse position, a manually operable contact which is normally closed in a first position but which is manually opened at said first position and closed in a secend position when said lever is conditioned to be operated between said normal and reverse positions, a stick relay, a pick-up circuit for said stick relay closed by said contact in its second position if traific conditions in said stretch are suitable for said switch to be operated, a stick circuit for said stick relay for retainingsaid stick relay energized independently of said manually operable contact if traific conditions in said stretch are suitable for said switch tobe operated, and means controlled by said lever in its normal and reverse positions for operating said switch from one of its extreme positions to the other if. and only if a front contact of said stick relay is closed and if said manually operable contact is closed in its first position.

5. In combination, a stretch of railway track including a switch, a manually operable polechanger having a normal and a reverse position, a polarized relay having a back neutral contact as well as normal and reverse polar contacts, means controlled by said pole-changer in its normal and reverse positions for energizing said polarized relay by current of normal and reverse polarity respectively, a stick relay, a pick-up circuit for said stick relay controlled by traflic conditions in said stretch and by the back neutral contact of said polarized relay, a stick circuit for said stick relay controlled by tralic conditions in said stretch independently of said back contact, and

means controlled by arront contact of said stick.

relay and by the normal and reverse polar contacts of said polarized relay for operating said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as thepolarized relay is energizedby cur- 

